title: Mechanisms for surface contamination of soils and bottom sediments in the Shagan River zone within former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.
abstract: The Shagan River is the only surface watercourse within the former Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS). Research in the valley of the Shagan River was carried out to study the possible migration of artificial radionuclides with surface waters over considerable distances, with the possibility these radionuclides may have entered the Irtysh River. The investigations revealed that radioactive contamination of soil was primarily caused by the first underground nuclear test with soil outburst conducted at the "Balapan" site in Borehole 1004. The surface nuclear tests carried out at the "Experimental Field" site and global fallout made insignificant contributions to contamination. The most polluted is the area in the immediate vicinity of the "Atomic" Lake crater. Contamination at the site is spatial. The total area of contamination is limited to 10-12 km from the crater piles. The ratio of plutonium isotopes was useful to determine the source of soil contamination. There was virtual absence of artificial radionuclide migration with surface waters, and possible cross-border transfer of radionuclides with the waters of Shagan and Irtysh rivers was not confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology, NNC RK, 071100 Kurchatov, Kazakhstan. asan@nnc.kz
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Aidarkhanov
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lukashenko
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Lyakhova
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Subbotin
authors.forename: Yu Yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Yakovenko
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Genova
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Aidarkhanova
mesh_terms: D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D007623:Kazakhstan; D054043:Nuclear Weapons; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
keywords: Formation mechanisms; Migration; Nuclear testing; Radionuclides; Surface contamination; “Atomic” Lake